|This page is considered a PESWiki:Policies and guidelines on PESWiki. It is generally accepted among editors and is considered a standard that all users should follow. It illustrates standards of conduct, which many editors agree with in principle. However, it is not set in stone and should be treated with common sense and the There was an error working with the wiki: Code[1]. It is not policy. When in doubt, discuss first on the talk page.

|}There was an error working with the wiki: Code[1]

There was an error working with the wiki: Code[2]

This page offers some principles of etiquette or "Wikiquette", on how to work with others. You can read about more basic conventions at the PESWiki:Policies and guidelines page.

PESWiki's contributors come from many different countries and cultures. We have different views, perspectives, and backgrounds, sometimes varying widely. Treating others with respect is key to collaborating effectively in building an encyclopedia.

Principles of PESWiki etiquette

There was an error working with the wiki: Code[5]. Wikipedia has worked remarkably well so far based on a policy of nearly complete freedom to edit. People come here to collaborate and write good articles.

Treat others as you would have them treat you - even if they are new. We were all new once...

Be polite, please!

Keep in mind that raw text is ambiguous and often seems ruder than the same words coming from a person standing in front of you. Irony isn't always obvious - text comes without facial expressions, vocal inflection or body language. Be careful of the words you choose - what you intended might not be what others perceive, and what you read might not be what the author intended.

Please There was an error working with the wiki: Code[6] and PESWiki:Sign your posts on talk pages your posts to talk pages (not articles!), unless you have some excellent reasons not to do so.

: If you have not registered yourself, do not construct a signature that might make it appear that you have.

Work toward agreement.

Argue facts, not personalities.

Don't ignore questions.

If another disagrees with your edit, provide good reasons why you think it's appropriate.

Concede a point, when you have no response to it or admit when you disagree based on intuition or taste.

Be There was an error working with the wiki: Code[7].

Although it's understandably difficult in a heated argument, if other editors are not as civil as you'd like them to be, make sure to be more civil than they, not less. That way at least you're not spiraling down to open conflict and name-calling by your own accord, you're actively doing something about it: taking a hit and refraining from hitting back - everybody appreciates that (or at least they should).

However, don't hesitate to let the other party know that you're not comfortable with their tone in a neutral way -- otherwise they might think you're too dense to understand their "subtlety", and you'll involuntarily encourage them (e.g. "I know you've been sarcastic above, but I don't think that's helping us resolve the issue. However, I don't think your argument stands because...").

Be prepared to apologize. In animated discussions, we often say things we later wish we hadn't. Say so.

Forgive and forget.

Recognize your own biases and keep them in check.

Give praise when due. Everybody likes to feel appreciated, especially in an environment that often requires compromise. Drop a friendly note on users' talk pages.

Remove or summarize resolved disputes that you initiated.

Help mediate disagreements between others.

If you're arguing, take a break. If you're mediating, recommend a break.

Take it slow. If you're angry, take time out instead of posting or editing. Come back in a day or a week. You might find that someone else has made the desired change or comment for you. If no one is mediating, and you think mediation is needed, enlist someone.

Walk away or find another Wikipedia article to distract yourself &mdash there are There was an error working with the wiki: Code[3] articles on Wikipedia! Take up a There was an error working with the wiki: Code[8] or There was an error working with the wiki: Code[9], or lend your much-needed services at PESWiki:Pages needing attention and PESWiki:Cleanup. Or PESWiki:Requested articles.

Remember There was an error working with the wiki: Code[10].

Review the list of There was an error working with the wiki: Code[11].

Avoid reverts and deletions whenever possible, and stay within the There was an error working with the wiki: Code[12] except in cases of clear vandalism. Explain reversions in the edit summary box.

Remind yourself that these are people you're dealing with. They are individuals with feelings and probably have other people in the world who love them. Try to treat others with dignity.

Remember There was an error working with the wiki: Code[13] - "treat others as you want them to treat you."

How to avoid abuse of Talk pages

Most people take pride in their work and in their point of view. Egos can easily get hurt in editing, but Talk pages are not a place for striking back. They're a good place to comfort or undo damage to egos, but most of all they're for forging agreements that are best for the articles they're attached to. If someone disagrees with you, try to understand why, and in your discussion on the Talk pages take the time to provide good reasons why you think your way is better.

Don't label or There was an error working with the wiki: Code[14] people or their edits.

Terms like "racist," "sexist" or even "poorly written" make people defensive. This makes it hard to discuss articles productively. If you have to criticize, you must do it in a polite and constructive manner.

Always make clear what point you are addressing, especially in replies.

In responding, make it clear what idea you are responding to: Quoting a post is O.K., but paraphrasing it or stating how you interpreted it is better. Furthermore, qualify your interpretation with a remark such as "as you seem to be saying" or "as I understand you" to acknowledge that you are making an interpretation. Before proceeding to say that someone is wrong, concede you might have misinterpreted him or her.

Interweaving rebuttals into the middle of another person's comments, however, is generally a bad idea. It disrupts the flow of the discussion and breaks the attribution of comments. It may be intelligible to the two of you but it's virtually impossible for the rest of the community to follow.

Working towards a POV

When we correct violations of the PESWiki:Point of view (POV) policy, we often make the mistake of using phrases like "foo points out that ..", "xy explains ..". These phrases themselves can be seen as POV, as they imply a certain agreement by PESWiki. The original author then often sees this as an attack and deletes the changes, and eventually, an edit war results. It is better to use the following procedure:

# Inquire politely on the article's Talk pages about aspects of the article you consider POV (unless they are really egregious), and suggest replacements.

# If no reply comes, make the substitutions. (Use your watchlist to keep track of what you want to do.)

# If a reply comes, try to agree about the wording to be used.

That way, when an agreement is reached, an edit war is very unlikely. The disadvantage is that the article stays in an unsatisfying state for a longer period of time, but an article that changes frequently doesn't create good impression with others or of the project as a whole.

Here are a few things to bear in mind

PESWiki articles are supposed to represent a views (more at PW:POV), instead of supporting one over another, even if you believe something strongly.

If someone disagrees with you, this does not necessarily mean that the person hates you, that the person thinks you're stupid, that the person themselves is stupid, or that the person is mean.

Try to avoid deleting things as a matter of principle. When you amend and edit, it is remarkable how you might see something useful in what was said. Most people have something useful to say. That includes you. Deletion upsets people and makes them feel they have wasted their time: consider moving their text to a sub-directory of their user pages instead (e.g. saying not quite the right place for it but so they can still use it): much less provocative.

Wikipedia invites you to PESWiki:Be bold in updating pages. Before initiating discussion, ask yourself: Is this really necessary to discuss? Could I provide a There was an error working with the wiki: Code[15] with my edit and wait for others to quibble if they like?

You can always take a discussion to e-mail or to your user page if it's not essential to the article.

If you know you don't get along with someone, don't interact with them more than you need to. Unnecessary conflict distracts everyone from the task of making a good encyclopedia, and is just unpleasant. Actually following someone you dislike around Wikipedia is sometimes considered There was an error working with the wiki: Code[16], and is frowned on because it can be disruptive. If you don't get along with someone, try to become more friendly. If that doesn't help the situation then it is probably best to avoid them.

Though editing articles is acceptable (and, in fact, encouraged), editing the signed words of another editor on a Talk or other discussion page is generally not acceptable, as it can alter the intent or message of the original comment, misrepresenting the original editor's thoughts. Try to avoid editing another editor's comments unless absolutely necessary.

See also: There was an error working with the wiki: Code[17]

Other words of advice

Be open and warmly welcoming, not insular,

Be focused singlemindedly on writing a free energy resource, not on Usenet-style debate,

Recognize and praise the best work, work that is detailed, factual, well-informed, and well-referenced,

Work to understand what neutrality requires and why it is so essential to and good for this project,

Treat your fellow productive, well-meaning members of PESWiki with respect and good will, and

Attract and honor good people who know a lot and can write about it well

A There was an error working with the wiki: Code[18]'s helpful hint for newcomers: Before interpreting any of the above as engage in There was an error working with the wiki: Code[21], harrassment or There was an error working with the wiki: Code[22] after labeling people with whom you disagree, it would be wise to read and understand the policy or guideline regarding There was an error working with the wiki: Code[21] and the There was an error working with the wiki: Code[24] fallacy identified by ancient Greek philosophers. Remember these points:

Show the door to trolls, vandals, and wiki-anarchists, who, if permitted, would waste your time and create a poisonous atmosphere here.

Make others feel welcome (even longtime participants even those you dislike),

Create and continue a friendly environment,

Turn the other cheek (which includes walking away from potential edit wars),

Give praise, especially to those you don't know (most people like to know they are wanted and appreciated), and